Most ostomates employ some type of bag or pouch system to collect bodily wastes discharged from their surgically created stoma. Today, such bags are generally formed of light weight, odor proof, flexible polymeric materials and the collection systems are designed to be inconspicuous and permit the ostomate to engage in normal physical activity. However, many ostomates, particularly immediately following surgery, have fears concerning their ability to resume a "normal" life. These fears center around worries that the collection system will leak or that odor will escape and that the system will be noticeable even through their outer clothing. Part of these problems are due to the discharge of flatus into the bag which can cause an embarrassing distension of the bag.
In order to overcome the problem of gas build up within the collecting system, it had been suggested to provide a vent opening either in the bag or in the portion of the device which attaches to the body. Devices having simple vent openings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,656,328; 2,496,175; 2,542,233; 2,652,055; 2,655,153; 2,679,248; 3,089,493; and 3,055,368; British Patent Nos. 217,480; 555,852; 576,181; and 785,562; and Canadian Patent No. 631,987. Other devices have combined vent openings with filtering or deodorizing means as note U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,327,514; 2,544,579; 2,555,086; 2,669,235; 2,688,327; 3,439,677; 3,759,260; 3,804,091; and 3,952,727; British Patent No. 1,416,594 and French Patent No. 2,310,739. Some devices have also been suggested in which the bag or collecting receptacle includes a venting valve as note U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,039,464 and 3,216,420 and British Patent No. 576,181. Also, a venting valve is disclosed as part of the bag clamping ring in British Patent No. 1,212,904.